WMTW News 8's David Charns learns about tips for swimming safety for both adults and children before the Fourth of July. One lifeguard trainer suggested people recognize their abilities and pay attention to water conditions.

AND IS LIVE IN THE STUDIO WITH MORE ... DAVID? STEVE -- STAYING SAFE AT THE POOL OR THE BEACH IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT... AFTER A PORTLAND MAN DIED IN A LAKE OVER THE WEEKEND. DAYS LIKE TODAY -- WE HEAD TO THE WATER FOR A DIP... BUT EXPERTS SAY IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING... BEFORE GETTING IN. "not only does a child need to be able to swim, they need to be able to save themselves" HEIDI PARE KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT SWIMMING -- SHE TRAINS LIFEGUARDS ACROSS SOUTHERN MAINE. "drowning in general, it's about being safe. It's about knowing what your own ability is before you go into that water" KNOWING WHAT YOU CAN DO -- EVEN MORE IMPORTANT AFTER THE DEATH OF A PORTLAND MAN OVER THE WEEKEND. POLICE SAY THE MAN -- SWIMMING AT WASSAM-SKI SPRINGS CAMPGROUND... WAS DRINKING WHEN HE DROWNED. NOW LIFEGUARDS LIKE PARE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TO YOU... OR YOUR CHILD. "have confidence that your child could save themselves or possibly someone else if they needed to" PARE SUGGESTS THREE TIPS TO BRING WITH YOU TO THE BEACH OR THE POOL. FIRST -- SET PARAMETERS -- TELL YOUR KIDS HOW FAR OUT THEY CAN GO. SECOND -- KNOW THE CONDITIONS. IS THERE AN UNDERTOE? HOW SAFE IS IT TO SWIM? THIRD -- SUPERVISE -- KNOW WHAT YOUR PARTY IS UP TO AT ALL TIMES. SWIMMERS WE MET AT PINE POINT... SAY IT'S ALL ABOUT YOUR LIMIT -- AND STAYING SAFE. "i would say comfort level is what you should be most concerned with when you're swimming in the ocean" AND A FINAL NOTE -- NEVER GO AFTER A VICTIM UNLESS YOU'RE AN EXPERIENCED SWIMMER. YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE CHANCE. "if going to put two people in danger than absolutely not, you do not want to go in and try to make that rescue" ANOTHER IDEA PARE TOLD US... CAMP OUT NEXT TO A LIFE-GUARD STATION ... SO YOU'LL KNOW YOU'VE GOT FULL COVERAGE. AND OF COURSE -- ON TOP OF BEING SAFE -- IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE FUN. LIVE IN THE STUDIO, I'M DAVID CHARNS, WMTW NEWS